Barking

Barking problems are among the most common complaints that dog owners have. Why do dogs bark? Well, for a variety of reasons. Dogs will bark if they feel threatened. They may bark when they play and get excited. Some dogs will bark for attention. Some will bark if they are in pain and they’ll even bark when they’re lonely, bored or stressed. Certain breeds or breed types are also genetically inclined to bark more than others.

How you’ll prevent or resolve your issue with barking will partially depend on what is triggering your dog to bark. For example if your dog is barking or vocalizing because he’s in pain, treating the source of his pain would be the obvious solution. If your dog is barking through the front window as dogs pass by your house, blocking off his access to that window is a simple way to help prevent his barking.

Keep in mind that the more your dog practices barking the better he’ll get at it. So identifying what is triggering your dog to bark and if all possible, removing the trigger or trying to stop the barking before it occurs is the simplest way to prevent the barking.

Anti-bark collars which use shock are inhumane and are inappropriate for most kinds of barking problems (and often make the problem worse!). With the right kind of help and a strong desire to stop the problem, most pet parents can successfully resolve barking issues in a safe and humane way.

The Alert Barker

If your dog is barking to alert you to someone or something outside, the answer is quite simple. Remove the source of what triggers his barking. For instance if your dog barks at people as they walk past your home, prevent his access to the window using furniture, closing blinds, blocking off the area with a baby gate or confining him to a room or his crate while you aren’t at home.

The Lonely Barker

Fortunately the remedy for the lonely barker is often simple. Try changing your dog’s environment a bit. Remember that your dog probably wants to be with people. Dogs who are left outside for long periods of time are often the worst offenders of barking. Your dog needs to play with you and feel like he is a part of the family. Dogs typically don’t do well when left alone for long periods of time. Make sure you set aside time for regular walks, playtime – even some training sessions. You’ll want to be sure that you give him the social contact that he needs to keep his body and mind occupied. Barking when left alone may also indicate separation anxiety. If you think that anxiety is the source of your dog’s barking, contact a professional dog trainer in your area who specializes in working with anxiety. You may also want to work with your veterinarian to see if medication is necessary to help improve your dog’s behavior.

Attention Barking

Attention seeking barking is a learned behavior! When your dog brings a toy over to you, drops it on the floor, barks and you pick it up and throw it. You have just taught your dog, “When I bark you play!” Even if you look at him or verbally scold your dog when he barks, you will still be teaching him that his barking is a successful way to get your attention. How can you remedy it? You need to ignore his demands. His barking may initially increase and so don’t give in or he will learn that persistence pays off. However, if he barks and you really ignore him or even better if you ignore him and walk away until

he is quiet, he will eventually learn that barking doesn’t work and it will decrease.

8495 Mulberry Rd.

Chesterland, Oh. 44026

440-729-9375 www.canineaffaircenter.com

For more information on the Association of Pet Dog Trainers

visit our Web site at www.apdt.com or call 1-800-PET-DOGS (738-3647) or email information@apdt.com.

Maybe you have a senior dog who no longer shows in obedience but still likes to work, or you don’t know if you would like traditional obedience, or you are looking for a fun way to just to have wonderful quality time with your dog.

Rally Obedience is fun for you and your dog and you can talk to you dog all the way through the course. Come and check out Rally in a very relaxed environment with instructor Caren Vicich. Monday nights at 6:15 PM

The Good Dog Seminar With Sue Alexander CPDT CDBC

Join us for three days of learning about: operant conditioning, dog behavior, what dog play is and how to use it in training, behavior problems, fears, phobias and a whole new way of looking at behavior to help you avoid or overcome problems with your dog. This is a new model of addressing behavior based on current scientific research and utilizing clicker training, classical conditioning and desensitization.

Who should attend? Trainers, Dog Sport Competitors, Working Dog Partners, Pet Owners, Veterinary Personnel, Kennel Staff and Shelter folks.

When? October 22, 23, 24, 2010, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Where? Canine Affair Center, 8495 Mulberry Rd, Chesterland, OH

One day: $125 Two days: $200 Three days: $300

Friday 10/22 People training…or everything I know about operant conditioning Training is a process where a trainer sets a learner up to obtain new behaviors and understand when, where and how to do those behaviors. There are well known principles and theories and laws that govern how learning occurs. Understanding how learning applies from both the learner and the trainer point of view can give you a unique understanding of what will happen when you develop and train through a training plan.

Saturday 10/ 23 It’s Classical…Conditioning!-learn about classical conditioning and how it effects your everyday training experience (this one is really good for people who are training for any competitive work).

Thinking like a Trainer1-learn about operant conditioning and how learning works.

Thinking like a Trainer 2-apply operant theory to your training plan and make your training more effective and efficient.

Play 1-learn what play is and how to identify it.

Play 2-learn about play styles, and how to use play in training.

Sunday 10/24

His Story-taking a history, asking questions, getting answers.

What’s the Problem? 1-Identifying behavior problems (must be paired with His Story)

What’s the Problem? 2-Developing a treatment plan (must be paired with What’s the problem 1)

Play 1-learn what play is and how to identify it.
Play 2-learn about play styles, and how to use play in training.

15 IAABC CEUs and 19.5 CPDT CEUs offered
Who to contact for more information?
Mary Berr 440.729.9375   or   Linda Alberda 440.449.9694
moberr@roadrunner.com lkalberda@yahoo.com

Sue Alexander owns and operates Dogs in the Park in Guelph, Ontario, providing dog behavior consulting services and specializing in dogs with serious aggression issues. Sue is also head trainer of K9 Helpers Service Dogs Inc. which trains dogs to help people with psychiatric disabilities. She has over twenty years experience training dogs and participates in a variety of dog sports including obedience, tracking, retrieving and agility. Sue is a clinical member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.

Day number two at Canine  Fun Days! Bubbles (Scott) came in first at The Classic K-9 Show in the jumping contest. Bubbles jumped 48 inches without knocking a bar down!!! Way to go Bubbles! Zeda (Kolavchick) followed Bubbles in second place with a jump height of 46. Both dogs had participated in events all day and still had the energy to finish the afternoon with the jumping contest. Crystal is a student at Canine Affair and Debbie is one of our instructors. Both teams were definite crowd pleasers!

Doesn’t the Agility equipment look great now that it’s hanging and so well organized? I’d like to thank Tom Likovic for designing some of the holders, having them made and getting them up, with help from Dorothy. Our sandbag wagons seem to be working well and should make it easier to use and put away. Now everything has it’s place and it looks great! Thank you Tom and Dorothy for making this happen. 

Come join Canine Affair Center and Lead (Lake Erie Assistance Dogs)   on Sunday, August 1st., 2010 from 12 – 5 PM. LEAD will be there to answer questions about Service Dogs and the organization and Canine Affair Center will be there with information on classes.

At 2:30 we will have an Agility Demo and then a “try it” time for folks and their dogs who have come to the “Dog Days” event.

For more information about this event and the Cleveland Botanical Garden, please click on the link below.

http://www.cbgarden.org/Events/Dogs2010.html